CLEVELAND, Ohio — In a moment that etched his name into NFL history, Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett sacked Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow with 5:16 remaining in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game at Paycor Stadium, securing his 23rd sack of the season and breaking the single-season record.
The play, which resulted in a 5-yard loss at midfield, propelled Garrett past T.J. Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan, who had been tied at 22.5 sacks. According to ESPN Research, this marked Garrett's 12th sack against Burrow, surpassing his previous high of 11 against Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. It was also his 16th sack against the Bengals, the most by any player against Cincinnati since sacks became an official statistic in 1982.
The Browns, who finished the season with a disappointing 5-12 record, at least ended on a high note with Garrett's milestone. The game itself was a lopsided affair, with Cleveland falling 31-14 to the Bengals, but the defensive standout's achievement overshadowed the loss. Garrett, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year and the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, has long been regarded as one of the league's premier pass rushers.
Congratulations flooded in from across the sports world almost immediately after the play. Dallas Cowboys star Micah Parsons, himself a formidable edge rusher, was among the first to react on social media. "Congratulation to the Og MYLES GARRETT! #legendary! @Flash_Garrett," Parsons posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, on January 4, 2026.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, a two-time Super Bowl MVP, echoed the sentiment with a simple yet enthusiastic message: "Congrats! 💪🏽💪🏽 @Flash_Garrett." The post, also dated January 4, 2026, highlighted the respect Garrett commands even among offensive players who face similar pressures from defenses.
Basketball icon LeBron James, a native of Akron, Ohio, and a frequent supporter of Cleveland sports teams, offered a heartfelt tribute. "CONGRATULATIONS MY GOOD BROTHER!!!!!!! @Flash_Garrett 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾💪🏾," James wrote, emphasizing the personal connection in his exuberant all-caps message.
Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss, known for his own legendary career as a wide receiver, added his voice to the chorus. "@Flash_Garrett yes sir......CONGRATULATIONS MY GUY!!," Moss posted, underscoring the cross-generational admiration for Garrett's accomplishment.
Closer to home, former Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar, a Youngstown, Ohio, native like Garrett, celebrated the moment with team pride. "Congrats Myles @Flash_Garrett 💪🏼🏈 #UMatter Go #Browns," Kosar tweeted, referencing the Browns' longstanding motto "You Matter" and his allegiance to the franchise where he played from 1985 to 1993.
Even Chad Johnson, the former Bengals wide receiver better known as Ochocinco, joined in despite the rivalry. "Congratulations Myles Garrett, can't wait to get that game jersey you promised. 🫡," Johnson wrote, injecting a touch of humor and recalling a personal promise from Garrett.
Institutions tied to Garrett's background also chimed in. Texas A&M Football, where Garrett played college ball before entering the draft, declared him "The New Sack King" in a post featuring highlights: "@Flash_Garrett makes the NFL Single Season Sack Record his own. #GigEm | #NFLAggies." The Aggies' enthusiasm reflected Garrett's roots in College Station, Texas, where he earned All-American honors.
Gatorade, a longtime NFL sponsor, captured the essence of the feat in a promotional tweet: "Break records, create new standards ⚡️ @Flash_Garrett breaks the @nfl single-season sack record." Accompanied by a video clip, the message positioned Garrett as an innovator in the sport.
Garrett's path to this record wasn't without challenges. Entering the 2025 season, he had already amassed 98.5 career sacks in just eight years, but injuries and a suspension in 2019 for an on-field altercation had tested his resilience. This year, despite the Browns' struggles—including the midseason firing of head coach Kevin Stefanski—Garrett maintained elite production, recording multiple sacks in several games against top quarterbacks.
The record-breaking sack came in a season where the NFL saw fierce competition for the sack crown. T.J. Watt, who shared the previous mark with Strahan's 2001 performance, finished with 19 sacks this year, falling short but still leading the league in forced fumbles. Strahan's record, set during a Giants Super Bowl run, had stood for over two decades, making Garrett's achievement all the more monumental.
Experts have long praised Garrett's combination of speed, power, and technique. In a pre-season analysis, NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah called him "the most disruptive force in football," a sentiment echoed by coaches league-wide. Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, who schemed the play, later said in a post-game interview, "Myles is special. He doesn't just get sacks; he changes games."
Looking ahead, Garrett's record positions him as a frontrunner for his fourth Defensive Player of the Year award. With 141.5 career sacks now, he ranks 24th all-time and could climb higher in the coming years. The Browns, entering an offseason of uncertainty with quarterback Deshaun Watson's contract looming, will lean on Garrett as a cornerstone for rebuilding.
As the sports world continues to buzz about the milestone, Garrett himself remained humble in brief comments after the game. "It's an honor to be mentioned with those names," he told reporters. "But I'm just focused on helping this team win." Whether that translates to playoff success in future seasons remains to be seen, but for now, Myles Garrett stands alone at the top of the NFL's sack leaderboard.